Murder She Writes

I was invited by a friend, Daena, to come up for psychic research investigations done through the new International Society for Paranormal Research Annex in the French Quarter that are part of a new facility, the Haunted Mortuary. It’s an amazing “haunted” house during those evenings before Halloween (I do mean creepy and scary!,) and a location for psychic testing with a lot of wonderful exhibits planned for the future. (It’s a great venue: it really was a mortuary, and it’s next to a fascinating old Jewish cemetery!) As son, Shayne, wound up in the hospital that week, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. He was let out, however, settled, prescriptions purchased, and I hadn’t canceled the tickets. So, thanks to print at home boarding passes, we made it to the gate just as the plane was boarding. Jessica drove Bryee and I to the airport, loved the prospect, and showed up the next day herself! But, back to night 1. It wasn’t the usual “ghost” tour–I do love the ghost tours!–but this was different. We went to four locations, heard the stories that went with them, and then did some testing on our own. Now, because I write ghost stories, and because I have been on just about every tour known to man, I can be skeptical. Show me, you know? We went to one location, a charming old hotel, where we were allowed to go into a certain room in our groups of four. I used devices known as L-rods, and I have to admit, I dropped them. They moved, and I honestly wasn’t doing it–happened in front of several people who could see that I wasn’t doing so. Do I have magnets somewhere in my body? Don’t know–I know that it gave me the shivers when they moved. We found out that two horrendous murders had taken place there. We ended in one of New Orleans beautiful old hotel ballrooms with the group speaking. It was amazing.

The next morning, Jessica arrived and we headed to the Haunted Mortuary itself so that I could do an interview segment for a documentary they are doing. Daena, Larry, and Eric were amazing and so much fun, and it’s an easy interview because I so seriously love them all and the paraplex. There was a fair amount of rearranging with lights, so Jessica and Bryee got to go crazy running through the empty “haunted” house and taking pictures with all the scary props. We met up with Beth–a new friend who was on our “team” the night before along with Eric, Bryee and me. We had two seconds for Fifi Mahoney’s–the most wonderful wig store I’ve ever seen–where I bought a two foot Marie Antoinette wig for Halloween. Then on to the bayou UFO tour. Once again, it was a blast–I didn’t see any UFOs, but the stars were amazing and to go out on bayou at night–with folks who know it like the backs of their hands–is a wonderful experience. We went down the Peace River, stopped at a little beach, and used telescopes and night vision glasses. Talk about a place to imagine a good creepy story! All in the imagination, of course, but I could see mist growing around the trees and the trees coming to life . . . and when we heard the story about bayou skunk ape, I could swear I just about saw him (or her!) too. One of the young men with us was a bit disappointed–he’d caught a three foot gator to show everyone, and he asked Bryee if she’d ever seen such a thing. She told him, “Millions!” and, of course, she wasn’t kidding. We had to explain that we live awfully darn close to the Everglades.

We made it back to the Quarter in time to meet Bayley–my after-Katrina-child for several months, and Shelby, have a very late-night dinner, and at least get and give a few big hugs. I had wild plans for the next night–first, trick or treating with Graham, my baby great-nephew, and then a night out on South Beach with my giant Marie Antoinette wig. Well, the kids I saw while trick or treating with Graham loved my costume, but I didn’t make the South Beach part. After snacking with DJ, Franci, Graham, and Jason, I suddenly became aware of people calling my name. I had fallen sound asleep on the couch. (I went out far more quickly than the baby.) But it was still a great Halloween week, and I actually can’t wait to get back out on the bayou. Okay, so I come from the Everglades. The bayou is still as cool!
Heather

© 2008 – 2009 Heather Graham. All rights reserved.